Naruto - Minato Namikaze SI - Chapter 288 - Hunting Zetsus in Konoha.

[Chapter Size: 1900 Words.]
Third Person POV
Konoha, Year 42.
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While the seal on the old man's forehead began to fade, finally releasing him, Minato was having a rather serious conversation with the leaders of the Senju clan.

"Well, there’s no doubt we need to remove those old men from leadership. Unfortunately, I don’t think we’ll manage it just with willpower, but we have plenty of proof of their incompetence." Minato began.

"We can use the incident with Kushina’s capture inside the village and also the attack coming from the civilian part of the village." He continued explaining.

"Moreover, I’d like to ask you for a favor." He looked very serious. "I’m sure you have records of the Second Hokage in your vault. There must be some things he documented about them that should at the very least be questionable... Even so, I’m sure he recorded everything."

"So you want us to investigate?" Tsunade asked.

"Exactly. I need you to search for any embezzlement of village tax funds, like overinflated projects... missions that would benefit them, any mistake — even from Danzou. Though we probably won’t need much, it would be good to have something, especially anything that connects them to the other elders." Minato said.

"The village already knows very well that those damned old men are manipulating everything, while all four of them just sit around deciding who’s going to be the next target to eliminate, just to stay in power." Tsunade added, with some disgust.

"Well, you’re not wrong. But it’s good to have every little detail so we can make sure to remove them politically. Those old men are a cancer to the village." Minato said.

"Alright, we’ll do it. You’re going to help me, right, sister?" Nawaki said, looking at Tsunade, who nodded.

"Of course, let’s get this boring job done." She grumbled.

"Anyway, I’m heading to the Land of Whirlpools tonight." He said, catching everyone by surprise, though their expressions soon softened. Minato could travel from country to country freely with his jutsu.

"That’ll be good to scare those old men, if needed." Tsunade murmured.

"Yes. I intend to bring a group of Uzumakis to discuss the village’s decisions. Either way, I’ll be taking Kushina with me. I’ll leave the rest to you: take care of Mikoto. We gained many allies tonight, but we also made some enemies, so keep an eye out for any lunatic who might want to give their life in the name of revenge." Minato said seriously.

"How long do you need the information by?" Nawaki asked.

"I arranged to meet with the leaders tomorrow. We’ll have a discussion at noon and that includes you, of course. I’ll also meet with each of them tonight. I’m sure they’re all in their offices right now discussing exactly what to do and whom to support."

"Alright, we can do that, Minato. Either way, it was nice seeing that arrogant Kurama clan member looking regretful today." Tsunade commented.

"Seems like he was the only one who betrayed us in the end. While all the clans surprised us during the attack, proving loyal to the cause in the end, they armed themselves at the last moment and moved out beyond their walls, even when surrounded by ANBU.” Minato said with satisfaction. He paused and continued.

"Well, I’m sure Kai Kurama's father will carry that bitter memory for the rest of his life. After all, it must not have been a pretty sight to see Danzou’s crimes, especially when they were supporting that side. Even more so when they accused us of trying to start a civil war to seize control of Konoha, claiming we were staging a coup. But in the end, that never happened. No one died except Danzou. But that doesn’t matter anymore. Anyway, let’s get back to business. Kushina, come with me." Minato said as he stood up.

"Sure. Where are we going, Minato?" She asked curiously, since she was the only one being called. It felt like there was something special just for her. That excited her.

"We’re going to hunt some intruders who just entered the village." Minato said calmly, taking her hand before vanishing.

In the next moment, they appeared in a park in a quiet corner of the village. Kushina looked around. Now all the houses had their lights on, which wasn’t a surprise after everything that happened that night.

"We’re finally alone. Dattebane!" Kushina exclaimed beside him, before grabbing Minato and hugging him tightly. He looked at her, seeing that she didn’t seem to want to let go.

Minato just gave her a satisfied smile as he looked at her.

"You know how hard it is being with you outside that house, especially now, when we’re alone? I’m happy." Kushina said openly, still clinging to him.

"I can imagine, Kushina. I feel very happy to have you alone by my side too. But now we won’t have time for that. Let’s do what we came here to do." He said, touching her head tenderly as she pouted and let go of the hug, knowing he was being serious.

"Alright. What intruder are we talking about?" Kushina asked, looking toward the street while quickly trying to sense something, but couldn’t detect any strange chakra.

"Come with me." Minato said, beginning to walk ahead. Kushina followed right behind.

They continued walking through the streets, ignoring a few people at their windows looking at them, some clearly surprised to recognize him. But Minato ignored them and kept going until he stopped in the middle of an empty street. Kushina was on alert, but also confused. She didn’t feel anything strange there.

"I want you to do something first. Enter Kurama mode." Minato requested, and Kushina nodded, bursting into golden flames as chakra surrounded her body.

"I want you to try to sense any hatred or negative emotion on this street." Minato asked, while Kushina narrowed her eyes, until she sensed something and looked down at the ground.

"Something on the ground, Minato!" She said, surprised.

"Yes. And can you feel its exact position too?" Minato asked.

"Yes, it's right over there." Kushina said, pointing to the right side of the street. A malevolent energy was coming from underneath. It felt strange, but also disgusting.

"Great. That means you can sense them very well..." Minato was satisfied. After all, he had brought Kushina just to test whether she could handle these things when he wasn’t around. He was sure Tsuna wouldn’t be able to sense it, and he knew Mikoto and Hanabi couldn’t see them with their eyes, so preparing Kushina to deal with them was the best option — after all, he could leave her with his other girls to protect them.

"Looks like it heard us." Minato murmured as he began to see the creature move, startled, trying to escape.

"We have to catch it, Minato!" Kushina shouted, but Minato had already vanished.

He reappeared about five meters from the spot Kushina had pointed to and quickly punched the ground, his fist turning into chakra like an explosion bursting out, alerting the entire area, making it seem like a new attack had occurred, when the village had barely begun to calm down.

Minato quickly began pulling the body from the ground. With a punch from his right hand, he moved the left, and continued like that, digging with haki-armament punches that destroyed the terrain with ease.

Kushina watched for a moment as he continued digging with his fists until he shoved his hand into the earth and pulled out a completely white body wrapped around itself, clearly frightened, looking at him in disbelief that he had just been caught.

“Hahaha! Look what I found here... A strange guy spying on people from underground?” Minato asked arrogantly.

“Impossible! How did you find me!!” The white Zetsu couldn’t believe it.

“Minato, what is this thing?!” Kushina exclaimed in disbelief — it wasn’t human, though it looked like one.

“This is the spy. There are more of them here, so let’s finish this.” Minato decided as he pulled out a scroll with a fuuinjutsu and placed it on the creature’s head, making it pass out.

“Minato...” Kushina only murmured, looking at the thing’s body lying on the ground.

"What’s going on here?" A group of ninjas arrived due to the explosion, but couldn’t help being surprised by Kushina’s chakra there, in the middle of the ministry at night...

"I just captured an intruder. Don’t worry about it." Minato said clearly, before grabbing Kushina again and the unconscious body.

"Let’s go somewhere else. But first... Hey, can you fix the leveling of the street I messed up?"

Not knowing those ninjas’ stance regarding the confusion from earlier, Minato could still sense them without any issue. At the very least, he was respected.

"Now, the next one. Kushina, I want you to send your chains to pin it to the ground and try to catch it. You’ll be more efficient than me."

"Sure, leave it to me." Kushina said with a determined tone, as they disappeared to another part of the village.

Minato asked her to follow him as they passed a few more houses before finding their target walking through the street at that very moment. Quickly, Kushina jumped from the building in her Kurama form and released several chains that pinned the creature down, slamming into the ground and grabbing it, pulling it upward in an explosive twist bound by the chains.

Minato appeared in front and placed a seal with a symbol on its forehead, making it pass out.

"Done. We’ve got two already." Minato said, looking at the two bodies, stacking them one over the other so they wouldn’t escape.

The location was still in the middle of the village. Hiruzen smoked his cigar. He thought about the events of the night with a bitter taste. His friend had been killed. His reputation had been destroyed. The elders’ lives and the only thing he could still learn from his hat now was the matter of urgency.

Since the village still needed a living foundation before taking a new path, he knew that if this dragged on too long, they wouldn't be able to avoid sacrificing themselves.

Everything seemed calm, but without that glow. Even though it was still filled with dozens of ninjas, all awaited the Hokage. It was at that moment that an explosion burst from the ground below them, and they quickly craned their necks to see what it was, near the footprints left by a summoning.

Several punches hit the ground like explosions, with rocks and dust flying in every direction.

"Go, Minato! Destroy those bastards for mocking you!" A young woman shouted, wearing the fox cloak, as she appeared a moment later, emerging from all the rocks and dust behind that book.

"Minato?" Hiruzen landed on the ground as some strange creatures emerged from the hole he had made, grabbing one in each hand and tossing them aside after placing seals to store them.

He stored the Zetsu bodies before Hiruzen could get a look.